Abstract: In a distributed or multi-user system, it is possible for a user to try to access a media file that is not optimal for the user's purposes. In other words, the best quality version of some source material might not be the most optimal version for all users. For example, some users might use less network bandwidth if they used lower resolution video data. User context information is used to limit which versions of a source may be provided to a user that requests the source. The system interprets the user context information to provide the best quality version of the source for the user's purposes. Example user context information may include a specified working resolution and/or a specified target resolution for the user. The context information may be specified for the user or may be specified for a group of users, location of the user or other characteristic related to the user, from which the user in turn inherits the context information.

Abstract: An editing system has a graphical user interface that shows media/metadata and metadata/metadata relationships and allows a user to navigate a graph defined by these relationships. Using this graphical user interface, a user may determine, for example, which masterclips are used in a sequence, or which sequences are using those masterclips. Such information can be useful for many purposes. For example, by identifying all masterclips used in a sequence, the media files associated with these masterclips can be readily recaptured in a different format. The graphical user interface provides simple navigation of such relationships by using two panes. Each pane may receive and display indications of any media data or metadata object type defined in the problem domain. In an editing system, such object types may include objects such as projects, sequences, clips and media files.

Abstract: In a distributed or multi-user system, it is possible for a user to try to access a media file that is not optimal for the user's purposes. In other words, the best quality version of some source material might not be the most optimal version for all users. For example, some users might use less network bandwidth if they used lower resolution video data. User context information is used to limit which versions of a source may be provided to a user that requests the source. The system interprets the user context information to provide the best quality version of the source for the user's purposes. Example user context information may include a specified working resolution and/or a specified target resolution for the user. The context information may be specified for the user or may be specified for a group of users, location of the user or other characteristic related to the user, from which the user in turn inherits the context information.

Abstract: An editing system has a graphical user interface that shows media/metadata and metadata/metadata relationships and allows a user to navigate a graph defined by these relationships. Using this graphical user interface, a user may determine, for example, which masterclips are used in a sequence, or which sequences are using those masterclips. Such information can be useful for many purposes. For example, by identifying all masterclips used in a sequence, the media files associated with these masterclips can be readily recaptured in a different format. The graphical user interface provides simple navigation of such relationships by using two panes. Each pane may receive and display indications of any media data or metadata object type defined in the problem domain. In an editing system, such object types may include objects such as projects, sequences, clips and media files.